Use it Up
Wear it Out
Make Do,
Or Do Without
Words to live by when you retire prior to retirement
age. I caught myself dipping a bike tube
into a sink of water looking for the leak with full intentions of actually
patching the hole. When I couldn’t
figure out how to use the patch kit I found in the drawer (no instructions…
imagine that!) and hubby was more interested in baking a loaf of bread, I ended
up ditching the tube like the majority of folks. Then I realized, most folks don’t even use
tubes these days. Along with the 29er
movement in the mountain bike world came tubeless tires. Most bikes on the trails are the latest and
greatest size with Stans No Tubes sloshing in the tires. So where do all the 26 inch bikes and tubes
g
o? To folks that swear by using it up,
wearing it out, making it do, or doing without.
My little bike will have to do
for now and I was grateful my friends threw their 26 inch bike trash my way
when they were cleaning out. My 9 year
old Specialized Epic came with tubeless rims and tires. It was the latest and greatest on the scene
at that time and they served me well.
The tires on the bike now are going bald. I have Stans No Tubes for in the tires and I
have valve stems, but no tires. A new
set of tubeless 26 inch mountain bike tires will cost me about $100 (my preference
is Continental Mountain Kings). Enter my
friends trash – a set of brand new 26 inch tires – but not tubeless. The brand doesn't seem to matter much when you aren't paying for them. Hmm, I have free 26 inch tires and a stash of
26 inch tubes. So I could set my bike up
in new tires for nothing. Yes, I’m going
to make do with what I have and put tubes on tubeless rims on a 26 inch bike
and race with the big guys. Maybe I should break out the straw hat and
suspenders for the ride too. Or better yet, hook my bike up to the team and let them pull me over the trails.
o? To folks that swear by using it up,
wearing it out, making it do, or doing without.
My little bike will have to do
for now and I was grateful my friends threw their 26 inch bike trash my way
when they were cleaning out. My 9 year
old Specialized Epic came with tubeless rims and tires. It was the latest and greatest on the scene
at that time and they served me well.
The tires on the bike now are going bald. I have Stans No Tubes for in the tires and I
have valve stems, but no tires. A new
set of tubeless 26 inch mountain bike tires will cost me about $100 (my preference
is Continental Mountain Kings). Enter my
friends trash – a set of brand new 26 inch tires – but not tubeless. The brand doesn't seem to matter much when you aren't paying for them. Hmm, I have free 26 inch tires and a stash of
26 inch tubes. So I could set my bike up
in new tires for nothing. Yes, I’m going
to make do with what I have and put tubes on tubeless rims on a 26 inch bike
and race with the big guys. Maybe I should break out the straw hat and
suspenders for the ride too. Or better yet, hook my bike up to the team and let them pull me over the trails. 
No comments:
Post a Comment